Can Handle Diameter Make a Difference ?

[Stevie Boy]

Back in the day at competitions, you didn't get to use your own handle, you were handed a 12 inch X 1inch diameter handle on the end of a club line, so for years that is what I have skied with, recently I have moved to a larger diameter handle and there has been a change.

 

So a smaller handle is easier to hook with your fingers, which would facilitate straight arms, but on the other side, is there a tendency to over grip a smaller handle, creating tension in your forearms and making it harder to achieve straight arms ?

 

I know it's not all about the handle, but does it play significant a part in the process.

[dave2ball]

@Stevie Boy No. The handle really does not play into your advancement. A handle is personal to everyone. Some skiers like 12 inch and some like 13 inch and all different size diameters. Use what feels good. There is no right or wrong answer to this question.

[Jody_Seal]

I have heard from skiers that handle diameter or strait vs curved can impact other issues such as tennis elbow, wrist and hand pain.

So if one is skiing with those types of pains then that can impact your skiing.. I would think...

[dave2ball]

@Jody_Seal you are correct in that way. If someone has elbow issues it could be a worn out rope or you handle diameter is too small so skiing with bigger handle will reduce tennis elbow. A bent handle will do the same thing but some what different feel

[swc5150]

I went from a 0.94 to 1", and it's a big difference in hand/arm fatigue factor for me fwiw.

[skibug]

yes, it makes a difference!!!!

[jjackkrash]

There is certainly a range of too fat and too skinny when it comes to handles, depending on grip size. There is a reason "strongman" competitors use fat grip implements for training: it is harder to hold and move the weight with a fat grip. If the handle is too thick it is going to cause fatigue quicker. Too skinny has its own disadvantages.

[hammerski]

I used to like the smaller handles, Greg Badal suggested I try a larger handle. Went with a larger 1.062 bent ml handle. Easier on the hands, elbow pain gone. Plus I don’t go through gloves as often. Go figure! Two thumbs up ????

[DangerBoy]

I find that I don't have as good of a grip when I use a handle that's a little bit larger than the one I like. I also like and ski better with a curved handle. I skied for decades on a straight handle but the minute I tried a curved handle I was won over and never went back to a straight handle again. I think when you figure out which handle really works for you and that you really feel comfortable with, you'll always ski better with that handle than any other.

 

It's possible some of it's just psychological. A comfort and familiarity thing. A couple decades ago, I had a ski that used to spray hard into my back leg on an off-side turn. It stung like I was being sprayed with a powerful pressure washer at close range. As a counter-measure I started wearing a neoprene spray guard and that solved the problem.

 

Many years and a few new skis later, I still use the spray guard but I don't think I even need it anymore. There have been a few times where I've forgotten to put in on for my first run in the morning and I didn't have any painful sprays on my back leg on any off-side turns the whole time. But I still skied like crap on my off-side turns. That was because psychologically, I'm still conditioned to worry about searing spray pain on my off-side turns so if I realize I don't have the spray guard on, I fear the pain will come when I'm setting up for my off-side turn then reflexively back off on my off-side turns. Not having that spray-guard on feels different and I don't like it so I ski like I'm going to feel pain if I cut hard on my off-sides even though I don't. I put the spray-guard on, everything feels normal and "right" to me and I ski my best and all the noise in my head about potential spray pain goes away completely.

 

I think when you get a handle in your hand that doesn't feel quite right it may affect your skiing just because mentally, something feels not off a little and maybe it gets a little chatter going in your head. Get the handle you really like and you stop feeling/thinking that way and your mind can concentrate fully on your skiing with no thoughts given to how the handle feels or that something feels not quite right.

 

Just my theory based on my own personal experience. No data whatsoever to back it up so take it with a grain of salt. ;)

[jeidmann]

Obviously hand size is a factor here. I've found that a larger diameter (1.125") handle reduces blisters and calluses. For me, it reduces forearm fatigue as well.

[MDB1056]

OK but reality is that at some point a handle is too fat or too thin for any of us. Personally I would disagree with @jeidmann as a ski buddy just started using a 1.10 . After only a couple sets I had new blisters coming up. The 1.10 feels notably fatter than my max of 1.06, and the eliptical radius I use. It's a nice Masterline handle but just clearly too fat for my hands. Diameter isn't a performance issue until it get's uncomfortable (larger or smaller) .

[6balls]

@Stevie Boy I always brought my own cuz I broke that standard tournament handle crap they would give me!

[igkya]

Yes it's a personal choice/preference. I just went from 1.062 to 1.125 and have less fatigue and callous. I also noticed, I mis-grab the handle less.

[jeidmann]

@MDB1056 Lots of factors to consider here, size and strength of hands for example. Personally, I like the bigger handle because its closer to the size of my pull-up bar. I also find that blisters are largely dependent on the temperature of the water (warmer water more blisters) as well as removing built up callouses before they turn into a blister...ymmv.

 

[UWSkier]

For me as a bigger guy, I like the biggest handle I can get. Bigger handle forces me to be better about not "palm gripping" since the larger radius more naturally settles into the arc of my fingers. Additionally, I appreciate the larger contact point for force distribution.

 

I still get blisters and tear off calluses from time to time in warm water, but as mentioned above, that's a function of water temp more than anything for me. I may be 250 lbs but my skin is the same thickness and toughness as a 160 lb dude.

[S1Pitts]

Can someone create a list of all the mfg who offer a choice of handle diameters? My fav is gone so I need a new source. I was looking at the ML Ergo anti-roll but only offered in 1.00 dia

I prefer a min of 1.060 up to 1.120

[Stevie Boy]

I am finding, a slightly bigger diameter handle, is definitely kinder to my hands, I was suffering from some sort of forearm strain, caused mainly by deep water starts, this also seems to have improved,

[dave2ball]

@S1Pitts Masterline handles Dia are the following .888 .940 1.00 1.030 1.062 1.092 1.025 1.183. Masterline does make an anti roll but not in an euro style.

The euro can only comes in a 1.00 at this time.

Here is a link https://www.masterlineusa.com/collections/handles/products/masterline-super-spectra-anti-roll-custom-handle

 

[S1Pitts]

It would be a perfect world if ML started offering this handle in larger diameters.

Handle Link

[503Kento]

@S1Pitts Brenda at InTow has a wide variety of diameters and tons of other options to get the perfect handle.

 

(.888) = 2 7/8"

(.940) = 3"

(.970) = 3 1/8"

(1.00) = 3 3/16"

(1.03) = 3 5/16"

(1.062) = 3 3/8"

(1.092) = 3 7/16"

(1.125) = 3 9/16"

(1.183) = 3 3/4"

 

http://intowonline.com/viewitem.php?productid=17&groupid=2

 

[Stevie Boy]

@503Kento where does Brenda operate from ?

[503Kento]

@Stevie Boy New Mexico I believe.

[C5Quest]

I toss another choice in the mix….seem most I see are now using 13” width curved handles. Anyone still using 12” width?

 

[Mateo_Vargas]

Can Masterline make me a1.092 steering wheel @dave2ball?

[cruznski]

So I am jumping in here late. I used standard 1.00 D handles for decades. Ok i'm an old guy. And when I skied a lot, dating back to M4 i would get some tendonitis . I think there is some medical evidence that fatter handles stress the ligaments less, I do not have it at hand. I have been skiing 1.092" Intow (aka Brenda) now for 3 years, and indeed I have large hands (XL gloves) and it is just not an issue for me now.

BTW sometimes I do ski a 1.00 handle just to mix it up- that is a big difference and in fact I might think of using the smaller diameter in tourneys just as I can get a great grip after skiing the 1.092 but you can feel the difference in tension in your arms. I used a 1.125 for a couple years before the 1.092.

 

On the 13" v 12" i have used 13" bent for a long time but I may go back to 12" i think it forces better handle control.

Some out there have said mix it up--- use larger and smaller in your training. Makes sense to me.

 

 

[dave2ball]

@C5Quest yes. There are many people that still use a 12 inch handle.

[BS74]

Have used a 12 in., very small diameter for 30 years. I like the way a small diameter stays on your fingertips when reaching.